Protect your deposit from ‘inflated’ charges, ‘greedy’ landlords

MY NORTHWEST

Renters beware: Some landlords may try to scam you out of your security deposit.

While state law gives landlords the right to withhold portions of a deposit for damages beyond normal wear and tear, some have made it a practice to keep money they are not entitled to.

“I think there are a lot of honest landlords that only charge legitimate costs, and then I think there are some landlords who just view the security deposit as money that they’re entitled to keep,” said Eric Dunn, a staff attorney for the Northwest Justice Project, a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to low-income people.